Obituaries

The Needham Times publishes obituaries of Needham residents, former residents and close relatives of residents as a community service, free of charge.

Obituary policyThe Needham Times publishes obituaries of Needham residents, former residents and close relatives of residents as a community service, free of charge. Obituaries must come from a funeral home, or list the name and contact of the funeral service in charge of arrangements. Submission deadline for publication in current week’s issue is 4 p.m. Mondays.Send obituary information via fax to: 781-433-7836. E-mail: obits@cnc.com. Digital photos may be e-mailed in jpeg format. Obituaries can also be mailed to Needham Times, Community Newspaper Co., 254 Second Ave., Needham, MA 02494. Obituaries by telephone are not accepted.

Elizabeth Calitri

Longtime member of Carter Memorial Church

Dorothy Elizabeth “Betty” (Taylor) Calitri of Needham died Friday, May 25, 2007, at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center West Campus in Boston. She was 89.Mrs. Calitri had been a lifelong resident of Needham. She worked for 25 years for the Needham Police Department as a school crossing guard.She was past president of the Lt. Manson H. Carter Post 2498 VFW Ladies Auxiliary. She had been a member of the Carter Memorial United Methodist Church in Needham for 68 years.Wife of the late Angelo “Angie” Calitri, she leaves her children, Donna Johnston of Dedham and Edward W. Calitri of Needham; her brother, Charles Taylor of Needham; her grandson, Daniel Stevens; and her great-grandchildren, Daniel, Michael and Megan, all of Holliston.Her funeral service was held Wednesday, May 30, in the Carter Memorial United Methodist Church.Burial was at Needham Cemetery.Memorial donations may be made to the Carter Memorial United Methodist Church, 800 Highland Ave., Needham, MA 02494. Arrangements were made by Eaton Funeral Home, Needham.

Anthony DioDato

Father of Needham resident

Anthony R. DioDato of West Roxbury died Thursday, May 24, 2007, at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. He was 87.Born in Boston, Mr. DioDato grew up in the Fields Corner section of Dorchester. He attended Boston Public schools and was a graduate of Dorchester High School. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Boston College and his master’s degree in education from Boston State College. He had been a resident of West Roxbury since 1964.Mr. DioDato was a retired French teacher at Boston Latin School. He was a member of the faculty for many years and a teacher in the Boston Public School system for 37 years. He retired in 1987.A disabled World War II U.S. Army veteran, he served with the 9th Infantry Division and saw combat duty in North Africa, Tunisia, Sicily, Rome-Arno and the Rhineland. While in service, he received two Purple Hearts for wounds sustained in active combat.Husband of the late Elise C. (Maurin) DioDato, he leaves four children, John F. DioDato of Needham, Michele M. Kaminga of West Roxbury, Robert J. DioDato of West Roxbury and Christian P. DioDato of Concord, N.H.; siblings, Francis DioDato of Abington, Mary Daley of Hyde Park, Rita Balzarini of West Roxbury and Gloria Napolitano of Hyde Park; and eight grandchildren, Nicole, Andrew, John Paul, Alexander, Elizabeth, Carolina, Gabriela and Victoria.He was brother of the late Virginia Lind, Dorothy Fitzgerald and Theresa Mahoney.His funeral Mass was celebrated Wednesday, May 30, in St. Theresa Church, West Roxbury.Burial was at St. Joseph’s Cemetery.Arrangements were made by P.E. Murray-George F. Doherty & Sons Funeral Home, West Roxbury.

Naomi Doran

Former longtime resident; 93

Naomi R. (Dalrymple) Doran of Concord, formerly of Needham, died Wednesday, May 23, 2007, at Rivercrest-Deaconess Home in Concord. She was 93.Born in Malden, she was a daughter of the late George and Mary (Carr) Dalrymple. She attended Needham public schools and graduated from Needham High School in 1932.Mrs. Doran was a longtime resident of Needham before moving to Rockport in 1979. She moved to Beverly in 1990 and had been a Concord resident for five years. She was an avid antiques collector. Wife of the late Francis J. Doran who died in 1966, she leaves two daughters, Naomi R. Cauger of Lincoln and Mary Elizabeth Henderson of Salem; one brother, Douglas Dalrymple of Maine and Arizona; four grandchildren, Shelly Rando of Lincoln, David Cauger of Marlborough, Lisa Gallagher of Dorchester and Lauren Pierce of Beverly; and six great-grandchildren.She was sister of the late Genevieve Walden and George Dalrymple. Her funeral services will be announced.Arrangements were made by Dee Funeral Home, Concord.

Jennie Kowal

Pianist; active in Brandeis programs

Jennie “Jen” Raschal Kowal of Needham, formerly of Newton, died Sunday, May 13, 2007. She was 96.She was raised in and around Newark, N.J. Her parents were both immi­grants from Riga, Latvia. Mrs. Kowal moved to Boston in 1933 to marry.While in high school, she fell in love with music, especially the piano. Her parents gave her a baby grand piano which she continued to play until she was 95. She loved playing for others, especially if they could sing along with her playing. She especially loved playing opera and songs from Broadway musical theater shows. She could hear the music once and could play it by ear without a mistake. As a young woman Mrs. Kowal became involved with Boston Hadassah and was accompanist for its annual Donors Lunch. She also served as president of Hadassah.In 1948, Mrs. Kowal’s began to participate in study groups and take courses at the newly founded Brandeis University. She also led courses, especially in the study of opera. She continued to be active in adult education programs at the school for more than 20 years. In addition to studying at Brandeis, Mrs. Kowal “adopted” it as her college. She became active in the Brandeis University National Women’s Committee, whose primary responsibility was to raise funds to run the university’s library. Eventually she became its president, which qualified her to become a member of the board of trustees. She received numerous awards and accolades from Brandeis in recognition of her efforts on its behalf.One fond memory of Brandeis came from her acquaintance with Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. During the Roosevelt administrations, her husband was called upon on several occasions to leave his law practice and assume the directorship of a federal agency. One of his early positions was as director of the National Youth Administration, an agency charged during the Depression with finding jobs for young men and women. This brought Mrs. Kowal and her two oldest sons to Quoddy, Maine, where the Roosevelts often were present. This background led Mrs. Kowal to help arrange for Mrs. Roosevelt to come to Brandeis in 1954 for its commencement. She remained active with Brandeis activities well into her 90s. Mrs. Kowal became active at North Hill Retirement Community after she moved there in 1995. She even began to learn to play bridge at the age of 90.She was an avid reader and excellent speller.Wife of the late Leon J. Kowal, she leaves three sons, Sanford Kowal, Dr. Ira Kowal and his wife, Joellen Duesbury, of Denver, and Harold F. Kowal and his wife, Ruth, of Brighton; her grandchildren, David and Robert Kowal, Rebecca and Jessica Kowal, and Elizabeth and Susannah Kowal; and six great-grandchildren.She was sister of the late Philip Raschal, Bernhard Raschal and Gertrud Felden.Her graveside service was held Tuesday, May 15, at Temple Israel Cemetery, Wakefield.Remembrances may be made to Hadassah, 2001 Beacon St., Brookline, MA 02446; or to Brandeis University Women’s Committee, P.O. Box 549110, MS132, Waltham, MA 02454.Arrangements were made by Brezniak-Rodman, West Newton.

James Morse

Needham resident; volunteer

James G. Morse of Needham died Tuesday, May 22, 2007, at the Stanley Tippet House in Needham. He was 76.Born in Waltham, he was the son of the late Esther (Cohn) Morse. Mr. Morse was a longtime volunteer at the Veterans Administration Hospital in West Roxbury.He was a U.S. Air Force veteran of the Korean War.He leaves his wife, Eileen (Sherman) Morse; his children, Dr. David Morse and his wife, Jennifer, of Delray Beach, Fla., and Julie Cummins and her husband, Robert, of Holliston; and his grandchildren, Joshua and Richard Morse, and Gabriella and William Cummins.His funeral service was held Friday, May 25, at Temple Aliyah, Needham.Memorial donations may be made to Temple Aliyah, 1664 Central Ave., Needham, MA 02492; or to the Stanley Tippet House, 920 South St., Needham, MA 02492.Arrangements were made by Brezniak Rodman Funeral Home, Newton.

Filomena Serena

Needham resident; 108

Filomena (Berarducci) Serena of Needham died Wednesday, May 16, 2007, at St. Patrick’s Manor in Framingham. She was 108.Born in Pettorano Sul Gizio, L’Aquila, Italy, Mrs. Serena was one of 11 children.A homemaker, she loved her gardens. She was devoted to her family and friends, especially her grandchildren. She had resided at St. Patrick’s Manor for 12 years.Wife of the late Pietro A. Serena, she leaves her children, Lelia Truant of Needham, George Serena and his wife, Mildred, of Palm Harbor, Fla. and South Yarmouth, and Dr. Raymond Timmerman and his wife, Maria, of Fort Thomas, Ky.; a brother, Antonio Berarducci of Caracas, Venezuela; two sisters, Lina Leone of Sulmona, Italy and Elisa DiCenzo of Arlington, Va.; her grandchildren, Anne, Janet, Caroline and David Timmerman, Dorothy, Patricia, Mariellen, Peter, Karen, Nancy and Elizabeth Serena, and Cynthia, Sandra, Alida and Marc Truant; and 16 great-grandchildren.Her funeral was held Monday, May 21, from the George F. Doherty & Sons Funeral Home, Needham, followed by a funeral Mass in St. Joseph Church.Burial was in St. Michael’s Cemetery, Boston. Donations may be made in her memory to St. Patrick’s Manor, 863 Central St., Framingham, MA 01701-4892. Attn.: The Van Fund for the benefit and enjoyment of the residents.

Florence Sullivan

Longtime resident

Florence (Toker) Sullivan of Needham died Saturday, May 19, 2007. She was 85.Mrs. Sullivan was born in Minneapolis, the daughter of the late Robert and Helen (Zalinski) Sullivan. A homemaker, she had been a Needham resident for many years. Wife of the late William J. Sullivan, she leaves her children, Robert J. Sullivan and his wife, Leslie, of Woolwich, Maine, and Kathleen M. Baltisberger and Frederick J. Sullivan, both of Needham; her grandchildren, Christopher, Thomas and Gregory Sullivan, David and Nicholas Baltisberger, and Andrea Jenkins; and three great-grandchildren, Leah, Evan and Eric. Her funeral was held Thursday, May 24, from the George F. Doherty & Sons Funeral Home, Needham, followed by a funeral Mass in St. Bartholomew Church.Burial was in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Needham. Expressions of sympathy may be made in her memory to St. Joseph’s Indian School, Donor Services, Chamberlain, SD 57326.

Recreation and Sports

Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted.
Needham Times ~ 254 Second Ave., Needham, Massachusetts 02494 ~ Privacy Policy ~ Terms Of Service